protect

verb

pro·tect prə-ˈtekt

protected; protecting; protects

transitive verb

: to cover or shield from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction : guard

: defend sense 1c

protect the goal

: to maintain the status or integrity of especially through financial or legal guarantees: such as

: to save from contingent financial loss

: to foster or shield from infringement or restriction

salesmen with protected territories

protect one's rights

specifically : to restrict competition for (something, such as a domestic industry) by means of tariffs or trade controls

: defend sense 5

protect a lead

intransitive verb

: to provide a guard or shield

protects against tooth decay

protectable

prə-ˈtek-tə-bəl

adjective

protective

prə-ˈtek-tiv

adjective

protectively adverb

protectiveness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for protect

defend, protect, shield, guard, safeguard mean to keep secure from danger or against attack.

defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

a hard hat to protect your head

shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

Example Sentences

He had no raincoat to protect himself from the rain. She keeps her jewelry protected in a safe. You have to protect your business against fraud. New laws have been passed to protect your privacy. The forest is protected by federal law. The high taxes on imported goods are intended to protect domestic producers. Sunscreen helps to protect against sunburn. The insurance protects you against flooding. The insurance does not protect against damage caused by earthquakes. See More

Recent Examples on the Web Through powerful photography, the museum hopes to inspire people to engage with nature and help to protect the planet.

Jack Guy, CNN, 1 Dec. 2022 The assessment said, though, that NATO-standard cold-weather gear provided to Ukrainian forces would help protect against hypothermia.

Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2022 Avi Kwa Ame was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a traditional cultural property in 1999 to help protect its petroglyphs, cultural landscapes and medicinal plants.

Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 1 Dec. 2022 The frame is made of galvanized steel with a powder coating on both the inside and outside of the hollow frame tubes, which will help protect against rust.

Veronica Graham, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Nov. 2022 Among other requests, Ukraine has sought longer-range missiles and air defenses to protect against the missiles and armed drones attacking population centers and civilian infrastructure.

William Mauldin, WSJ, 30 Nov. 2022 Aimee Deaton identified a gene mutation that helps protect against abdominal obesity.

Sarah Shemkus, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Nov. 2022 The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said the sale, scaled back from an earlier proposal, will help protect fisheries and habitat for sea otters and endangered beluga whales.

Alex Demarban, Anchorage Daily News, 29 Nov. 2022 The trust and safety field barely existed a decade ago, and the talent pool is still small, said Lisa Kaplan, the founder of Alethea, a company that uses early-detection technology to help clients protect against disinformation campaigns.

Tiffany Hsu, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'protect.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin protectus, past participle of protegere, from pro- in front + tegere to cover — more at pro-, thatch

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of protect was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Protect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/protect. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

protect

verb

pro·tect prə-ˈtekt

: to cover or shield from something that would destroy or injure : guard

Legal Definition

protect

transitive verb

pro·tect

: to shield from injury or harm

protecting public health and safety

: to secure or preserve against encroachment, infringement, restriction, or violation : maintain the status or integrity of especially through legal or constitutional guarantees

protect a work against copyright infringement

the First Amendment protects speech

: to restrict competition for (as domestic industries) by means of tariffs or trade controls

protectable adjective

or protectible